Mermaids
"That voice, captain. What was it? The most dangerous creature in all the seas; a mermaid. -Smee and Hook, "Once Upon a Time" Category:SpeciesCategory:Magical creatures Mermaids are legendary, aquatic creatures of the sea with the heads and torsos of gorgeous, young maidens and the lower bodies of marine creatures. Beautiful and formidable, mermaids have been feared and adored by both sailors and pirates alike. Rarely ever seen, the sea nymphs live beneath the ocean and are considered myths by the races on land. No one knows exactly how they originated. They are believed to be the descendents of the Oceanids and Nereids of mundane mythology while some think they are the daughters of ancient sea gods. Others suggest they are the children of the ocean itself. It may even be a little of everything. As nymphs, they are gifted with immortal and are destined to live for eternity, immune to disease and the cruelty of time. They remain as young girls, both physically and mentally, yet they can still retain knowledge and gain wisdom. However, as nymphs, their life force is bound to the sea. As long as there are oceans, the mermaids will live and as long as there are mermaids, water will flow in all the worlds. They also cannot stray far from water or they will perish. They are the guardians and keepers of the oceans and all its creatures as well as those who travel across its surface. They protect the waters fiercely from dark creatures and the negative interference of the surface world. Many sailors owe their lives to these creatures. Though usually unseen, it is common for mermaids to rescue people from drowning as well as from storms and shipwrecks. Sailors who respect them and the sea are guaranteed safe passage home. Ancient mariners would throw trinkets and jewellery into the sea to earn the protection and luck of the sea spirits. Anyone foolish enough to harm the sea or claim it as their own, will make them respond with force stemming from their power over the wind and tide. Characteristics "There's nothing like being a mermaid. Swim in the open sea all day, explore endless wonders, it's pure freedom. -Mylie; "Charmed" Mermaids can spend eternity at sea, exploring its trenches, reefs and wide seabeds. The sea holds no secrets from them. They possess vast knowledge of their watery world, which includes predicting upcoming changes in the weather, the movement of the tides and the locations of shoals as well as their movement patterns. Mermaids were skilled in astronomy long before humans even moved out of caves. Mermaids used this knowledge to tell the time, navigate and their location by looking at the stars and clouds. They knew of lunar cycles, as well as their effect on their world, and used them to mark the months. Over their many years, mermaids master a vast number of languages. As well as speaking their own language, Mermish, they can speak the language of dolphins and whales, seals and sea lions, turtles, cephalopods, crustaceans, turtles and even sea birds. By hearing the conversations of sailors and people along the coast, mermaids have learned how to speak nearly every human language, the speech of fairies, dwarves, elves and genies. They have an eye for beauty. They love to enhance their already legendary beauty with sparkling gems, pearls, shells, corals and gold from shipwrecks. Objects of great value in the surface world are of no value to mermaids. A sea nymph will trade her ruby pendent for a simple scallop necklace if she finds it lovely. Mermaids are not greedy like many mortals and they cherish objects for their beauty rather than their value. However, a mermaid will never trade an object that holds sentimental value as they cherish this above beauty and vanity. Items of no sentimental value may be left behind by mermaids. Shells not native to beaches may have been left there by a travelling sea maid. The water nymphs have a great love of the musical arts. They love the sound of music. They share this interest with whales which strengthens their already strong bond with these magnificent creatures. Some young mermaids wander near mortal residents during festivals to listen to the human musicians play. Naiads have left the confines of their lakes to interact in these festivals and enjoy the music even more. However, water nymphs possess musical talents that surpass the skills of all other creatures, even whales. All creatures of the water thrive around mermaids when they play their glorious melodies. Mermaids often gather together along secluded coves and rocks to play their music. Sailors who hear these enchanting melodies are mesmerized by their beauty and sail closer, often to a watery grave on sharp rocks and deadly reefs. Harpies will often dwell near these rocks to feast on any sailors that wander near. Psychology "Because our hearts are, well, some say are as cold as the water." -Mylie, "Charmed" Mermaids can have as varied personalities as humans but as daughters of the water they inherited its ever changing nature. Like the sea, they can be calm and gentle. Though many may hide it, mermaids have kind hearts and will often rescue humans and land creatures from rough waters and drowning though this is usually out of pity. Though they cannot fully understand how land bound races who resemble them cannot survive in both worlds, and they may be distrustful of mortals, many mermaids can't simply ignore a drowning creature. While mermaids can be at times mischievous and even downright cruel, they never forget a kind deed. Sailors use this side of their personality to earn safe passage over the sea by giving them tributes of jewels and trinkets to appeal to both their vanity and their generous hearts. The Mundane world is littered with stories of beached mermaids being rescued and in return, the thankful nereids grant their wishes, gift them with magical powers, reveal secrets and knowledge or the pathway to priceless treasures. However, like the sea mermaids are dangerous and can be easily angered. Their anger is as great as a tidal wave and can even surpass the kinder aspects of their personalities. Mermaids are proud, vain creatures who want respect and though they pity mortals with their tiny lifespans, they will not tolerate being insulted by creatures they believe to be inferior to them. Once anger clouds their minds, humans become nothing more than miserable little creatures with lives as inferior as a fly. This anger is difficult to sooth and usually disappears as quickly as any tempest, usually with a sea of destruction in its wake. A mermaid's heart is as cold as a fish's. With their frozen hearts, mermaids are free from the pain and heartache they believe plagues human life. Water nymphs possess great strength of mind and will. They desire freedom and independence and no monarch of the land can command them. Mermaids frown upon romance as they believe mermaids are happier when they are alone. Romance is seen as a barrier to independence. This view was influenced by the men of old who looked upon their wives as possessions and controlled their lives, something no man, not even a king could do to a mermaid. However, not all mermaids see love as a burden and desire it while others prefer to keep away from it. They are also cunning and intelligent and are capable of outwitting most, if not all humans. They are incredibly vain and proud and they spend ages trying to make themselves even more beautiful than they already are. They can't help it, being as beautiful as they are. Their vanity isn't just limited to their looks. They pride themselves on their intelligence and believe themselves to be cleverer than humans and in some ways they are. Despite their wisdom, as mermaids cannot develop as much maturity as mortals or races that can reach adulthood, they are as playful as dolphins. Sailors claim to glimpse the sea spirits during storms, playing, frolicking, diving and leaping like porpoises. Problems of huge importance to the surface world seem trivial to mermaids. Some mermaids have a mischievous streak and enjoy playing pranks from the cover of the waves. These mermaids will often enchant sailors, using their influence over them to provide entertainment or to confuse them. Waves that overturn small boats are also the handiwork of these water spirits. Some swim to the Mundane world and reveal themselves to mortals, causing a ruckus among humans and in the media. This trick was last used in 2009. Mermaids are curious by nature which is why they spend their never ending lives exploring the many realms and secrets beneath the water. More than a few have developed a fascination the world ashore and the ways of the land dwellers. This fascination is frowned upon by other nereids as it has caused the hearts of past mermaids to melt, causing them to desire love and a mortal life. These tales are often unhappy ones and usually end in tragedy for the mermaid. Biology Though mermaids resemble humans, their hair, their skin, eyes etc. are all adapted to life in the sea. The water keeps them healthy and instead of shrivelling like a human in the water, mermaids thrive. Sea nymphs are not fish but mammals with piscean features. They possess lungs which extract oxygen from both the water and air, allowing them to breathe comfortably in both worlds. A mermaid's scales are tough and made of bone, allowing them to sit on sharp rocks as comfortably as sitting on silken pillows. There are spaces between the scales so that mermaids can wiggle their lower bodies. Physical Description A mermaid's upper body resembles an extraordinarily beautiful, young maiden draped in robes of seaweed. However, there are subtle characteristics that distinguish them from ordinary humans. As well as possessing a superior beauty, their colouring is more vibrant, like a butterfly's wings to a moth's. Their eyes are as deep as the sea and, no matter what waters they are born in, are always a shade of ocean blue, green or, most commonly, a mixture of the two. Mermaid hair is always long, wavy, flowing and almost silk-like and it hangs in waves like the sea or thick curls like seaweed. Silvery blonde to golden blonde, vivid reds and ocean greens are the most common hair colors though it can range from brown and black to blue and white. A sea nymph's pearly skin can, depending on the waters she was born in, range from ivory white to midnight black, mimicking the skin tones of different ethnic groups in the mundane and fabled worlds. Paler mermaids often have pastel, ocean hued tintes to their skin like coral pinks, ocean blues, sea greens and silver. More tropical mermaids have richer hues like gold. Some northern mermaids have pure silver freckles and beauty marks. Many mermaids possess markings on their skin, similar to the patterns on fish. These usually take the form of lines of dots along the eyebrows, beneath the eyes, around their ears or down their arms. They can be told apart from freckles by their perfect patterns, similar to the dots on a sailfish. These patterns are similar in hue to the tinte of a mermaid's skin and in shape to the markings on a sailfish. Lines, waves and stripes are more common among tropical mermaids. Mermaids vary widely in appearance in shape and colouring but they all possess an otherworldly beauty beyond compare. Just the memory of a mermaid's face can free a person from the burdens of life. A mermaid's most famous characteristic is her long, fish-like tail which is similar in structure to a manatee's or a dolphin's, but more elegant and flexible. Their tails are strong and muscular yet slim and built for speed and agility, as well as beauty. Their long tails end in large, wide and semi-transparent fins. A short dorsal fin runs down the length of the tail and pelvic fins adorn the mermaid's sides. Like a fish's, the tails of sea nymphs are covered in shimmering, opalescent scales which come in a variety of jewelled hues with multicoloured iridescence. Mermaids can also be influenced by convergent evolution, meaning that two unrelated species develop similar physical traits. As a result, mermaids can develop similar colours and patterns to the fish in their waters. Between their fingers are thin, semi-transparent webbing which ends at their knuckles, like a seal's or a duck's. This webbing is tinged with a diluted version of the colours on their flukes and fins. Mermaids dress in light clothing woven from seaweed and nets and beaded with shells and shed scales. They adorn themselves in jewellery crafted from seashells, pearls, coral and aquatic flora, gold and treasures from shipwrecks or tributes from sailors seeking safe passage. They'll even weave doubloons in their silken locks to appear lovelier. Mermaid Properties * '''Immortality: '''A mermaid's immortality is the most potent of all creatures. Practitioners of dark magic can take this immortality via an auger shell capable of sucking the life force of any creature. However, as immortal beings, mermaids can only give up their immortality of their own free will. * '''Mermaid Flesh: '''Though it has never been proven, according to Japanese myths, consuming a mermaid's flesh will grant immortality. Like a mermaid, the consumer will possess an infinite lifespan, vast and rapid healing and regeneration, exemption from all natural and supernatural diseases and the ability to survive fatal wounds. As the consumer is not a mermaid, he or she will be exempted from a mermaid's need to stay in water, making them true immortals. However, capturing a mermaid is not at all like catching and eating other animals. These mermaid hunters end up becoming the hunted. * '''Mermaid Blood: '''Mermaids have the sparkling golden blood of immortals. The magic that makes them immortal is most potent in a mermaid's blood, more so than in any other immortal's and it possesses vast healing and regenerating powers. One drop can rid a person of all minor injuries and illnesses. A higher quantity can heal fatal wounds, sealing the injury and leaving no trace, not even a scar. Mermaid blood, while it cannot grant immortality, can reverse the aging process and restore youth when a large quantity is consumed. The nereids' blood can fill old bodies with strength and restore old organs to full strength. ** The smell of mermaid blood is very appealing to blood dependent creatures, especially vampires who crave it and find it intoxicating. Mermaid blood can make them more human without relinquishing their vampiric abilities. It enables them withstand the effects of holy water, walk in sunlight, survive stake wounds to the heart and enhance their abilities. * '''Mermaid Tears: '''When mixed with water, a mermaid's tears become beautiful, priceless pearls that vary according to the mermaid they came from and they have much more potent magic than the magic found in ordinary pearls. However, upon becoming pearls, the tears lose their true magical properties. In liquid form, mermaid tears are believed to have vast powers related to the sea, moon and restoration. ** The tears of a water nymph which fall on barren ground will turn it into lush, fertile farmland where crops will always prosper. * '''Mermaid Hair: '''Mermaid is soft and silky yet strong. Stringed instruments with mermaid hair, such as harps, lyres and guitars, will create the most wonderful music. ** Mermaid hair can also be used to make a very powerful wand core. However, the wand will inherit a mermaid's vain and independent nature, making it very difficult to control and even dangerous if it is insulted. ** Just like their blood, mermaid hair can reverse the aging process but it cannot increase a creature's natural lifespan. This means that with mermaid hair, a person can look young and attractive, even at the age of 90 and on their deathbed. * '''Mermaid Waters: '''Waters where mermaids have dwelled for centuries absorb bits of a mermaid's magic and the water gains its own mystical properties. Common abilities include healing and restoration, fertility and luck. The magic is strongest and most potent during a full moon. Some old mermaid dwellings become wishing wells. Other Mermaid Species Never Mermaids The only creatures the crocodile fears. The Neverland mermaids are by far, the strangest breed or mermaids. They differ greatly from all their cousins. Even their appearance and personalities differs from their cousins'. Naiads Also called nixies, naiads are mermaids born in freshwater. They sprang into existence when the first river sprang from the ground. Unlike other mermaids who prefer the salty seas, naiads have no fish tail. They are perfectly human in shape but can be told apart by their otherworldly beauty and the webbing between their fingers and toes. A naiad's presence fills her waters with her magic. These enchanted lakes possess magical properties like the power to restore or heal. Many seek the magic lakes but the naiad guards it selfishly. They do not tolerate those who would use their waters for evil or selfish purposes. The naiad is linked to her lake. She can leave it, taking her magic with her but if she is killed, her lake and the rivers flowing outwards from it will dry up for eternity. Like their cousins, naiads can adapt and live in both fresh and salt water. Salt water naiads are loners and prefer living in coves, lagoons and shallow water due to their inability to swim as fast as the fish-tailed mermaids. Naiads can stay on land much longer than other sea maidens. They use this to venture near towns when festivals are taking place. Merrows The merrow are sea faeries who prefer the colder waters of the North. They used to travel to the Mundane Realm. Their favorite haunt was the waters around Ireland. They can be told apart from other mermaids by their enchanted, red hats which they are never seen without. The merrow are believed to have the largest hearts of all mermaids. These red hats crafted from shells, feathers or shed scales possess magical properties. If they see a sailor who is close to drowning, they use their hats to help them survive the sea. Merrows are the most known to fall in love with humans but they usually never leave the sea for their loved ones. Most merrows lure their lovers into the sea and give them their hats, allowing them to spend eternity under the sea in the merrows' grottos. Known Mermaids * The daughters of Bo the Master Mariner ** The Little Mermaid(character) * The Golden Mermaid(character) * The Lorelei * Thetis * Amphitrite Mermaid Society Mermaids do not have a proper society like most races. They lack social classes or structures, currency or dwellings or even a hierarchy. Saltwater nymphs usually travel in pods. They usually consist of sisters, cousins and friends. The oldest mermaids usually run and look after the pod and mermaids are free to leave or join any pod. Pods can range in size from six to one hundred mermaids though a pod that size is incredibly rare. Mermaid pods often travel with dolphins and whales. Some pods travel across the world, exploring it and its wonders. Other pods do not travel and make permanent dwellings in coral grottos and caverns. Sea caves with air chambers and pools are popular and usually treated as a social place where mermaids gather together. They are also treated as a refuge for creatures when there are storms. These caves and grottos are decorated with corals and treasures. From the surface, these dwellings look like clumps of rocks and reefs. Inside, the walls are paved in pearly shells. These magnificent dwellings are hidden safely away from mortal eyes. Surface dwellers who try to sneak into these dwellings, whether with magic or technology, are never seen again. However, sea dwellers are welcome, including selkies, hippocampuses and dolphins. Laws * Mermaids can only go to the surface once they reach their 150th(15 in human years) birthday. * Mermaids mustn't be seen by surface dwellers. * Treasures from the surface become the property of the nearest sea dweller. * Mermaids mustn't wander near the shore during the day. * It is forbidden to use the siren's serenade to enslave others. * A mermaid must never lose her birthright. Powers and Abilities Physical Abilities A mermaid is more than half fish. They have similar characteristics to numerous dolphins and whales as well as fish. A mermaid's tail is powerful and filled with strong muscles. This, along with their slim tails which allow them to slice through the water like a knife, enables mermaids to swim faster than any ship. Sea nymphs possess incredible agility and grace. They swim with such grace that only the keenest human eyes can spot them in the water. Water nymphs can enhance their speed by encasing their bodies in bubbles. They use this as a jet stream to increase their speed. With their strong tails, mermaids can leap high into the air in a similar fashion to dolphins. As well as being used for mobility, a sea nymph can use her tail as a melee weapon. With just one hit, a mermaid's tail can knock out a highly trained human warrior or military man. Mermaids possess dual function lungs. With them, mermaids can breathe air like humans as well as breathe underwater comfortably with the same ease as a fish. This ability borders on magical as they can grant this ability temporarily to others through a kiss or constant tactile contact. They have the rare ability to adapt and thrive in any aquatic climate including cold waters and tropical oceans, shallows and deep trenches, salt and freshwater. They can dive at a depth that not even the mundane world's modern machines can reach. Due to living beneath the sea, mermaids possess heightened senses suitable for their world. These senses can also adapt according to the water a mermaid is in. Mermaids possess keen eyesight to see clearly through even the murkiest waters. They can sense changes in the water such as blood. They also have the ability to sense vibrations in the water, a talent they use to sense when ships sink or approach them. Like dolphins, mermaids can use as well as understand echolocation. As well as using it to send and receive messages to mermaids and cetaceans, it is used to "see" with sound when in waters too dark for their sight. Like the humpback whale, mermaids can release powerful sound waves in the form of a high-pitched, banshee-like scream. These screams are capable of knocking out a giant squid and shattering glass from over a mile away. When in deep water, a sea nymph's scales and fins shimmer and glow with bioluminescence. Mermaids have an almost "magical" ability to hear the call of a conch shell. When a person uses this trumpet-like shell as a horn, it emits a sound mermaids can hear over impossibly vast distances, even across the boundaries that separate worlds. These horns were used to summon mermaids in time of danger. Mermaids possess high resistance and even immunity to the poisons of underwater life. Their blood burns away the poison and the pain. A mermaid can handle a whole clump of fire coral without feeling the slightest discomforts from the organisms' venom. While they can feel pain from sea life with sharp teeth, claws, fins or skin, the venom they possess will have no effect on them. Mermaid Magic A mermaid's unearthly beauty possesses an enchantment that makes them alluring to males. Men cannot resist looking at a mermaid. With their lovely appearance, mermaids can lure men towards. They can also enchant them by emitting an aura of exquisite beauty. Under the aura's spell, people cannot bring themselves to harm the mermaid. The aura's spell can influence people to do anything to impress the mermaid or make her happy as well as obey what the mermaid requests. Even when given human form by magic, people can sense that their something special about the mermaid turned human. The power of enchantment is even stronger in a mermaid's voice. Mermaid voices are powerful and can be heard from the deep depths of the sea and over the noise of a roaring waterfall. A mermaid's music is so beautiful that it can make those who hear it forget their pain, their anger, fears and responsibilities. A mermaid's siren song has the power to hypnotise men, beasts and gods alike, distract them from their work and lure them towards the singing mermaid. A mermaid's melody has other powers. They can put others into a deep sleep or charm them into a submissive state, making them harmless. This magic is dangerous as it charms anyone who hears it. Only mermaids and females are immune to a mermaid's enchantment. Though it is rare and outlawed by pods, a siren's serenade can completely eradicate free will, as well as all their memories, turning its listener into a mindless slave whose only wish is to serve his mermaid mistress. This magic in a mermaid's voice protects it from being sealed, mimicked or stolen. Mermaids can communicate with and understand all intelligent or semi-intelligent aquatic creatures, from cetaceans(dolphins, porpoises, whales, etc) and seals to cephalopods and turtles to otters and seabirds. Sea nymphs have a close affinity with all aquatic and subaquatic creatures of the water, those that live within it, around it and above it. Sea life sense mermaids as allies and do not fear them. They are also attracted to mermaids and will flock towards them if they sense their presence. Mermaids can summon these creatures to come to their aid. In ancient times, mermaids punished fishing villages who incurred their wrath, by banishing fish from the region. Like all nymphs, mermaids possess vast elemental magic related to the environment they preside over. They are endowed with the power to manipulate water, as well as all weather related to the sea with only their thoughts and emotions. Mermaids are gifted with power over waves and wind, water and weather, as well as currents, tides and storms, lightning and thunder. With just simple gestures, mermaids fill the waters with magic, weaving liquid into any shape they desire, changing ripples into gigantic waves or calming storms. With just a whistle, they can command the winds and create tornados and doldrums. The sea can be influenced by a mermaid's emotions and when angered they can stir up hurricanes, typhoons, tidal waves, water surges, rip tides and whirlpools, each one capable of causing floods, sinking ships and even wiping out entire coastal towns. Their power over the water element and weather is so strong that not even the greatest wizard can influence the weather when a mermaid is interfering. Their only equals in the surface world are the marids. As well controlling water, mermaids can summon and conjure it out of thin air. With one kiss, a mermaid can turn the oxygen in a person's lungs into water, drowning them instantly. All mermaids are given a magical object at birth. This symbolizes her immortal status and her magic. These objects possess their own mystical abilities, abilities only the mermaid owner can use. Birthrights and their abilities can vary from mirrors that predict the future, combs that fold into tridents and caps that grant the wearer the ability to move between land and sea.Mermaid magic is unique and certain aspects can only be accessed by the mermaid when the need arises. This wild, unpredictable magic is connected to a water nymph's birthright. For example, if their birthright is taken inland, in order to search for it, the mermaid gains the power to shed her scales and fins, gain legs and assume human form, an ability she couldn't use any other time. However, this magically gained form disappears once the birthright is achieved and the mermaid returns to the water. When a person obtains the mermaid's birthright, he can use it to grant wishes. When a person obtains a mermaid's birthright, he has complete control over that mermaid. This combined with her captor's desires, gives the sea nymph the power to grant wishes like genies. Just like their legs, once the birthright is retrieved and the sea nymph returned to the water, all the wishes will disappear. Like many mystical beings, mermaids have a sixth sense. For some, it is very weak and unnoticeable. It enables mermaids to sense changes in the weather, upcoming storms and big changes in the future. However, mermaids from the far north are gifted with a powerful sixth sense that enables them to see the future and predict prophecies. These mermaids often appear in dreams, showing their visions to dreamers about danger. Weaknesses As both sea creatures and sea nymphs, mermaids need water to survive and remain healthy. If separated from water for too long or taken too far from it, they will begin to sicken and fade. If this process continues, their scales will grow dull, dry up and crack. Her whole body begins to lose its luster as she drys up and lifting her head or opening her eyes becomes a great challenge. Not long after, the mermaid will lose consciousness and her scales begin to fall, turning into dust. Soon, without water, the mermaid dies and turns to foam. Fire and other means of providing heat are a danger as they quicken the dehydration and wilting process. Seaborn mermaids also have to keep their tails wet. when their scales dry up, it causes a painful sensation for the mermaid. While they can adapt and swim in freshwater, they must soak their fish tails in saltwater at least once every moon cycle. Failure to do so will cause their scales to peel, their fins to tear and their health to diminish. No matter what magic is used or how powerful the caster, whenever a mermaid gains legs, every step she takes on land will feel like treading on broken glass or burning coals. Only soaking their newfound feet in water can temporarily banish the horrible pain. While mermaid scales are tough, they are not thick enough to serve as armour. Mythology Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures across the globe, including the Near East, Europe, Africa and Asia. The first stories came from Assyria, in which the goddess Atargatis leaped into the sea to become a fish out of shame for accidentally killing her mortal lover. However, the sea could not hide her great beauty and she remained unchanged from the head to the waist and became the first mermaid. Mermaids are sometimes associated with perilous events like floods, storms, shipwrecks and drownings. In other folk traditions(or sometimes within the same tradition), they can be benevolent or beneficent, bestowing boons or falling in love with humans. Trivia * These mermaids take elements from Greek Mythology. The naiads and the nereids are water nymphs from this mythology. * The merrow is a creature from Irish mythology. * These mermaids are a combination of both the kind nereids and the traditional mermaids of sea lore and European folklore. * The sixth sense was taken from Scandinavian mermaid folklore. * Mermaids do not have blood types but all people can receive it safely. * The main rivals of the mermaids are the tridents, twin tailed, half man half fish denizens of the deep sea. Despite their similarities, mermaids and tritons are different species with similar abilities and the two species often clash and are very competitive. * The mermaids' only natural enemies are orcas(killer whales). * They have a natural salty scent. Category:Beneath the sea